Judge grants defense request to vacate trial
A Yuma County Superior Court judge has granted a defense request to vacate the trial for one of the 22-year-old twin brothers charged in connection to the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy.
During a hearing on Tuesday Superior Court Judge Darci Weede explained the attorneys for Adrian Perez-arzola filed a written motion on Feb. 17 and the state did not object to the request.
Prosecutor Dalvin Marci of the Yuma County Attorney’s Office added that there is still some DNA evidence that has not been tested yet due to a backlog at the Arizona Department of Public Safety Crime Lab.
In addition to vacating Perez-arzola’s April trial date,
Weede also continued his final trial management conference.
Perez-arzola has been charged with one count of first-degree murder, one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and four counts of aggravated assault. He remains in custody at the Yuma County jail on a $250,000 cash-only bond.
His next court appearance has been scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on May 9. He has also turned down a plea offer for second-degree murder. On May 4, shortly after 10 p.m., Yuma police responded to the 1500 block of East 26th Place in reference to a report of shots fired.
When officers arrived on scene, they found a 15-year-old male juvenile and an 18-year-old man who had both been shot.
The shooting took place in the front yard of a residence.
Arriving officers performed CPR on the 15-year-old until paramedics from the Yuma Fire Department arrived and took over. He was pronounced dead at the scene at approximately 10:32 p.m.
The 18-year-old man was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.